Let’s Meet Billy Cundiff

Billy Cundiff – AKA the #1 kicker in fantasy football (tied with Kaeding)

Although it was week one and over the years I have trained myself not to get excited like a master trains a dog not to pee on the carpet, there was something the Redskins did that I could not help but get jacked up about. It wasn’t RGIII and his QB rating of way better than everyone else. It wasn’t the defense who gave up 32 points (really only 25 cause the blocked punt isn’t on them) to a team that averages 41 points at home. It was Billy Cundiff who drilled 4 field goals with out even blinking twice, 2 of which were over 40 yards.

Most of us only know Mr. Cundiff as a Ray Finkle like guy who failed to get the Ravens to the Super Bowl last season, so let’s take some time to get to know our new kicker.

Billy Cundiff played at the college football power house Drake. He set and holds the pioneer league record for points in a career (284) all while getting a bachelors degree in biology (smarty pants). Since being in the NFL, Cundiff has played on 10 NFL teams which I would list but that is a lot of teams. He has not kicked in the regular season for all ten but at some time or another has been in the locker room. Cundiff is also a former Cowboy and has the record for longest field goal in franchise history (56 yards). He actually was the kicker who replaced former Redskins great Shaun Suisham in Dallas, just throwing that out there to show the small world of NFL kickers. While with the Ravens last season, Cundiff set the record for most touchbacks in a season (44) which is something the Redskins have never had seeing as they have had kickers who like to boot it to about the 10 yard line.

I am not saying that Cundiff is going to be Mike Shanahan’s Washington version of Jason Elam, but the last time the Redskins had what you could call a franchise QB was the last time they had a steady kicker. That was in the early 80’s when Joe Theisman and Mark Mosley were on the Redskins.

Kicker has been a huge hole for the Redskins for just as long as QB has, so having someone who can get you 3 points every time you cross the 30 yard line is a huge weapon to have, and hopefully Cundiff keeps firing.

About the Author

Bill Thompson played college baseball at UVA Wise and currently coaches baseball at Battlefield High School in Haymarket. As a die-hard O's fan, he covers the Orioles and the Redskins here at Blog So Hard.